


Sugar

by Lulu5763



Category: Clown - Fandom
Genre: Abuse, Asylum, Blood, Clowns, Dreams, Gardens & Gardening, Gen, Horror, Imaginary Friends, Mental Instability, Murder, Mystery, Nursery Rhyme References, Pain, Scary, Scary Clowns, Short, mature - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-13
Updated: 2018-09-12
Packaged: 2019-07-11 17:15:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15976838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lulu5763/pseuds/Lulu5763
Summary: Mary has an imaginary friend named Sugar the Clown.She's not what Mary imagined for a friend.





	1. Chapter 1

July 18, 2007

It was a warm and sunny Summer day. Mary was laying in the backyard, staring longingly at the sky and watching the clouds pass overhead. She had always been a quiet little girl, playing by herself with her dolls mostly. She had a wide selection of toys to play with, but her dolls were her favorite. She didn't have many friends, but like most five year olds, she had a wild imagination. She had the capability of creating her own friends.

While watching a cloud that looked like a frog hopping acros the sky, Mary could hear a friendly, feminine voice singing, "Mary, Mary, quite contrary..." Curious, she sat up and began to search for the voice's owner. It was a lovely and beautiful voice and it continued to sing, "How does your garden grow?"

Standing beneath a large shade tree, in the middle of her father's garden, Mary's gaze settled on a skinny woman in a black and white polka dotted dress. Her hair was a vibrant and bright blue color, pulled up into high pigtails. From the top of her forehead, down to the base of her neck, her skin was painted white like a ghost. Her cheeks had a pink tint to them, and beneath her eyes were little doodles of stars and hearts. Her nose, along with her full lips, were painted a bright cherry red.

"You're a clown." Mary grinned, sitting up on her knees.

She had only seen one once before, at a circus her father took her to at the beginning of the Summer. Memories of cotton candy, lions and elephants, and acrobats soaring across the sky filled her mind. She remembered a clown with blue hair dancing and prancing around the ring leader. It was then she realized, she had seen her before. This was one of the clowns she saw at the circus.

The clown twirled her dainty fingers around the beautiful variety of flowers. Tulips, roses, baby's breath, pansy, citronella. She skimmed over them until she found the daisies. She bent over a plucked on of the white flowers from the garden and held it up to her nose to inhale the sweet scent. Mary stared in awe, her smile as bright and beautiful as the clown's voice. When their blue eyes met, the clown held her gaze and motioned with her index finger for Mary to come to her.

Mary slowly stood and dusted the grass off of her pale pink dress. Her long blonde hair curled loosely and cascaded down her back. Her blue eyes averted to the back porch for just a moment to make sure her father wasn't watching. He wouldn't be happy to find her speaking to strangers, something he couldn't stress to her enough.

"With silver bells and cockle shells..." the clown softly sang, reaching out for Mary. Mary slowly walked up to her and as she neared, the clown continued to sing, "and pretty maids all in a row."

Mary smiled up at her as the clown combed her hair back. The flower's stem tickled Mary's ear as it was tucked in. She giggled, emitting an even bigger smile from the clown as she fixed her hair to cascade over her shoulders, again.

"And so my garden grows..." The clown spoke just barely above a whisper, sitting in front of the little girl. "What is your name, sweetheart?"

Mary giggled, settling on her knees in front of the clown, "I'm Mary. What's your name?"

"I'm Sugar the clown. Don't you remember me?" The clown asked, holding Mary's hands in her own. They were soft and fragile, much like her own.

"I remember you." Mary spoke, glancing quickly over her shoulder at the back porch. Her gaze returns to Sugar after a brief second, "I saw you at the circus."

"That's right. We met at the circus." The clown giggled a soft and sweet giggle. "I want to be your friend, Mary. Will you be my friend?"

Mary nod her head and reached up to hug the clown, "We can be best friends forever. Can't we?"

Sugar's arms close around the little girl, and she kisses her rosy cheeks, "Forever and ever."

Mary's arms wrapped around the clowns neck loosened after a few moments. She could hear her father calling from inside the house, and she froze, "Daddy's coming. Come meet him, Sugar. Maybe he'll remember you, too."

"I wish I could stay, pumpkin." The clown smiled and held Mary's hands as she stood, "I have to go, now. I'll come see you, tomorrow. Okay?"

Before Mary could respond, the back door swung open and Mary's father stepped out onto the back porch, "Who are you talking to, girl?"

Her father was a tall and broad man. He had dark brown hair and tattoos completely engulfing his tan, right arm in a sleeve. In a pale green work shirt and dark slacks, the man stood at the edge of the porch and peered out into the garden where Mary was still sitting on her knees.

Mary turned to face Sugar, only to be met with the flowers surrounding her. Sugar was nowhere to be seen, and Mary couldn't believe how fast she had vanished. Seeing her father was waiting for her on the back porch, Mary stood and dusted off her dress, again. She ran across the yard and up the wooden steps to the back porch.

"Daddy, I made a friend. I made a new friend." She squeaked, hugging his thigh and tugging on his hand. "Her name is Sugar. She's a clown. She was at the circus, daddy."

Mary's father glanced around the backyard, seeing there were no breaks or gaps in the wooden fence surrounding the property. He searched the yard until he spotted their German Shepherd, King, laid in the grass where Mary was laying and watching the clouds. No one would have been able to make it over the fence without their dog tearing them to shreds. That's what he was trained to do.

He scoffed and patted the girl's head. "That's good, darling. Now, come inside. It's lunch time."

Mary nod her head and followed her father into the house.


	2. Chapter 2

December 9, 2015

The day started the same as it always has. Mary woke up before her father and tip-toed around the house. She showered, dressed in a pair of white wash jeans and a grey sweater for school. She grabbed a pop tart from the pantry for breakfast and stuffed a container with leftovers in her book bag for lunch before running out the front door to catch her bus.

By the time school let out for the day, Mary's father was home from work and waiting for her arrival. As he sat in his reclining chair in the den, an old western show played on the television. Mary quietly opened the door and kicked off her snow covered boots before entering the house.

"Mary, is that you, baby girl?" Her father called from the den.

Mary lowered her head and closed the door behind herself. "I'm home, daddy."

"Come here, darling." He called out, the volume of the old western lowering in the house.

Mary dropped her book bag at the staircase and followed her father's voice to the den. She was exhausted from the long day of studies and mid-semester exams. However, this had become a routine and she prayed it would go quickly. She wasn't hungry for dinner, she just wanted a shower and to lay down.

With the door locked, Mary laid in her bed. The lights were off inside the room, and only a soft, white glow from the street lights bled through the slits in her window blinds. Her hair was still wet from the shower, soaking into her violet colored sheets. Her warm pajamas clung to her skin, soaking in the water she failed to dry off. With the cold of the night setting in, she sat up long enough to pull the duvet pooled around her waist up to her shoulders. Then, she curled around her firm pillow and sobbed quietly into it.

It wasn't every night she cried like this.

"Why is my sweetheart crying?" A familiar voice asked. Mary didn't budge at all. She knew the voice all too well. Instead of responding, she buried her face farther into the pillow and continued to sob. "Mary?"

As a weight settled on the bed beside Mary, she felt a cool hand curl its fingers through her hair and stroke. The nails gently scraping her scalp sent a wave of chills down her spine. Awkwardly, it was comforting.

"Did he hurt you, again?" Sugar asked, lowering her face to Mary's and gently kissing her temple. "Hmm?"

Mary could see the vibrant color of Sugar's eyes in the glow of the street lights. That ocean blue seemed to comfort her in such a way she didn't think possible. However, that was most nights, not all. Not tonight. Tears blurred Mary's vision, and she sobbed harder, hugging her pillow closer to her body.

Reaching over her head, Sugar flipped a switch and illuminated the room in a soft, violet glow. Posters of boys in boy bands coated the walls so much the pale pink paint couldn't be seen. As she continued to scratch her nails over Mary's scalp, she leaned over her and began to sing until her sobbing was silenced.

"Are you sleeping?" Sugar whispered some time later.

Mary's eyes were barely slit open and she shook her head. "Thank you, Sugar. I missed you."

"I missed you." She grinned. "Let's have some fun and brighten that mood. Hmm?"

"Daddy's sleeping." Mary whipered. "He'll be mad if I wake him."

As she sat up and wiped her eyes, Mary felt a headache coming on in the back of her head. Her body ached as fluffed a pillow behind her back and laid against the headboard. Sugar stood and walked across the room. Her eyes settled on a collection of rose figurines and she picked up a snowglobe that resembled the everlasting rose from Beauty and the Beast.

"You don't want to play with me, anymore?" Sugar asked.

Mary noted the hurt in Sugar's voice and pulled the sheets from her body, "No. No. I want to, but it's late and daddy will get mad if I wake him. I have to go to school, too. We can play tomorrow? We'll play in the snow after school?"

"I want to play, now." She spoke, holding the globe in her hands and watching the snowflakes swirl around the rose. "I've missed you. It's been weeks, Mary."

Sugar's hands began to tremble, her eyes capturing Mary's and holding them. Suddenly, Sugar lifted the globe over her head and let it fall. Mary watched in horror as the snowglobe shattered across the wooden floor. Glitter, gel, pieces of the porcelain rose inside were all over the place.

"No!" Mary sat up and ripped the sheets from her body. "Why did you do that?"

Just as fast as it happened, her father's loud steps could be heard from down the hallway. "Mary? Mary, what was that sound?" Three loud knocks boomed throughout the room. "Mary, open this door!"

Mary opened the door and stepped aside for her father to enter, "Daddy, I'm sorry."

"What did you do?" He asked, finding the broken snowglobe on the floor. "Why did you do this?What's gotten into you?"

"Daddy, it wasn't me. I swear." Mary wimpered and pointed towards the closet. "It was Sugar."

Her father's face tightened with anger, "You had another nightmare, didn't you? You were sleep walking. I knew it. I thought we had gotten past this, Mary."

"Past what?" Mary asked, her eyes pleading for him to believe him. "Sugar did it."

"Stop with this Sugar bullshit." He said lowly, too tired to punish her. "Clean this up and go back to bed. NOW!"

When her father left, Sugar was nowhere to be seen. Mary wiped her eyes and cleaned up the mess. She took a few melatonin tablets and downed a bottle of water before going to bed for the night.

The next day, Mary took her normal seat in English class; third from the front on the second row from the door. The class was a solid ninty minutes, never more or less, and Mary spent the first hour paying close attention to the lesson. Visions from the night before clouded her mind and she tried not to think about Sugar. The more comfortable she felt, the more she'd loosen up and jot down her notes.

As the classroom door opened, Mary's eyes flickered up to find Sugar was now standing inside and watching her. Mary looked around, hoping she wasn't the only one to see her, though she already knew she was. Sugar took long strides across the floor, her heels clicking loudly until she sat in the seat behind Mary.

"Mary?" She leaned forward and whispered.

Mary fixed her hair to cover her ears and straightened her posture. She thought if she paid no mind to Sugar, she would go away.

"I know you're mad at me, and I'm sorry." Sugar whispered. "I was upset, too."

Mary inhaled sharply, loud enough for the boy next to her to glance in her direction. His name was Cody. He had dirty blonde hair and soft, light skin. He was known as one of the punk kids, though he didn't look like a punk, at all.

"Hey," He tapped his pencil against her elbow, "you cool, Lace? You look a little tense."

"Well, isn't that sweet?" Sugar teased, ghosting her lips over Mary's ear. "The punk kid wants to looosen you up."

"Shut the fuck up." Mary growled beneath her breath before turning her head to Cody, "I'm cool. Thank you."

"It's okay. I'm the only friend you need, baby." Sugar cooed, toying with Mary's curls.

Mary ignored the voice and continued to listen to the lesson. For the last fifteen minutes of the class, Mary tried to focus on the reading assignment. With each minute Mary was ignoring her, Sugar grew more and more angrier.

"Fine." If that's how you want to play, "Let's play."

Just as Mary sat up and turned her body to face Sugar, Sugar kicked her leg out into the aisle. A high pitched giggle erupts from her as the teacher, Mrs. Andrews, falls to the ground. Mary's jaw dropped as low as it possibly could without unhinging and stared in horror as the room filled with gasps.

Mrs. Andrews, with her disheveled grey hair and caked face, picks her glasses up off of the floor and sets them back on her face. With the gelp of another student, she slowly stands and beems down at Mary.

"Ms. Reed," She raises her voice, "what was that for?"

Mary's whole body trembled with embarrassment, "I didn't do it, Mrs. Andrews."

"Then, who did?" She probed, setting her hands on her hips.

"The...the clown did it."

The whole room broke out into a fit of laughter. Filled with pure embarrassment and regret, Mary's eyes began to water. Everyone was laughing at her, even Mrs. Andrews.

"QUIET!" She suddenly yelled, silencing the room. "Ms. Reed, collect your things. You and I are going to the principal's office."


	3. Chapter 3

Mary sat in Principal Laughlin's office with tears in her eyes. She knew now not to mention the clown in public or she'd just sound crazy. She had to learn that lesson the hard way.

Mr. Laughlin came in for a brief period of time. He didn't have to talk to Mary, because Mrs. Andrews told him everything. She even mentioned the clown. With this, Mr. Laughlin released Mrs. Andrews to go back to her classroom. She asked Mary a few questions, but she was too hurt to answer any of them.

Speaking to men was never an easy thing to her, especially when it involved her emotions or the hallucination she had a clown named Sugar living within her head. Mr. Laughlin assumed Mary was better off speaking with a woman and sent her to the counselor's office just two doors down from his office.

Mrs. Trint was an older lady, much older than any of the teachers or custodians. She has thin white hair and pale, sagging skin. She dressed in a sweater and a long denim skirt, despite the freezing winter weather outside. She had been with the school for a long time, longer than she could remember. Her office was decorated in the school colors, blue and black. Posters with inspirational quotes and self help pamplets were hanging all over the place.

Mrs. Trint shook Mary's hand and advised her to lay across the paper lined bed next to her desk. Mary did as she was told, fixing her sweater as she did so. The counselor locked the door and walked over to her desk, taking a seat in the rotating office chair to face Mary.

Mary bit back the lump forming in her throat and took slow breaths. Sugar was gone and hopefully not coming back for a while.

"So, Mary, can I call you Mary?" Mary nod her head in return. "There's no judgement here. Tell me what's going on."

"The clown," Mary began, "she tripped Mrs. Andrews."

"Why did the clown do it?" She asked, looking Mary in the eyes.

"She's mad at me." Mary looks away, finding Sugar on the far side of the room. She's seated in a fold-out chair with one leg crossed over the other and watching Mary. "She's in the room. She wants to get me in trouble, so she breaks things or hurts or people, and because I can only see her, I'm to blame."

"Can you describe her to me?" Mary didn't respond. Tears began to fill her eyes, and Mrs. Trint handed her a tissue. "Does she look like you? Blonde hair and blue eyes? Is she skinny like you?"

Mary began to cry harder. She could see that Mrs. Trint didn't believe her. She knew no one was ever going to believe her.

"Alright." Mrs. Trint turned towards her desk. "Just calm down. I'm going to call your father. I advise you two go and see this nice doctor, Dr. Burns. He'll evaluate you, and he can prescribe you something to ease your mind."

Mary looked up to Sugar, reading the uneasy expression on her face. "Wait, he can get rid of Sugar for me?"

"It's a strong possibility." Mrs. Trint continued to type on her computer. Once she finished, she stood and excused herself from the room.

"You wont do it." Mary heard from across the room. "You need me. I'm your only friend."

Mary ignored her and continued to stare at the ceiling. Finally, she broke her own silence, "I would take a bullet if it meant getting away from you. I want you to go away."

"I only broke a snowglobe. The fat lady tripped over her own feet."

"You are getting me in trouble. You've turned me into a laughing stock. I don't need you, and I can't wait for the day I no longer have to live with you inside my head."

Sugar arose from her chair and crept across the room. Mary's gaze never left her being until she was hunched over her body. Sugar's hands planted on the mattress beneath Mary's head as she lowered her face down to Mary's.

"I thought you loved me, kiddo?"

"I did." Mary's eyes watered. "When you were my friend. You're only trying to hurt me, now."

Sugar's eyes darkened, her hands trembling as they curled into the mattress. "You're going to regret it if you take that medicine. I promise you."

"No, I wont." Mary fought back, her gaze meeting Sugar's. "I'm not scared of you."

In the weeks that followed, Mary and her father visited Dr. Burns. Though she had to open up to a male, Dr. Burns treated Mary as if her illness was his own. He gave her a diary to write in every single day, and she was to take her pills every morning.

Waking up and taking the pills was easy for Mary, and the diary helped with her anxiety. Of course the other students she went to school with made fun of her. They'd joke about the clown, but she tried to not let it get to her. She only had a few months before Summer, and her father could transfer her to a new school. There was another school, not the best in ratings, but Mary and her father had heard good things, and they were within the limits.

Without Sugar towering over her, Mary regained her confidence. She attempted to make friends with other students, the ones who thought it was cool she tripped a teacher and blamed it on a clown. They liked Mary, and that's all she wanted.

In three years time, Mary could only wish she was able to forget Sugar. The medication kept her away, though she could hear her singing from time to time. In times of stress or heartache, Mary could hear Sugar's voice, but she never made an appearance.

The last time Mary remembered seeing Sugar was in a dream a little over a year after taking the medication. Cody and Mary had gone on a date, a celebration of one year as a couple. A time that was supposed to be filled with love and fun turned into a night of heartache. Cody broke the news to Mary he had been cheating on her, and that he wanted to seperate.

Very calmly, Mary went home that night. Lucky for her, her father was out drinking with a few of his friends, so she had the house to herself. She showered, dressed in her warmest pajamas and climbed in bed. The moment her eyes shut, Mary found herself at the local park. All alone, she walked along the concrete pathway until she found herself standing in a beautiful garden.

She hadn't seen anything like it before, and as she stared in awe, she heard the most beautiful voice sing, "Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?"

"With silver bells and cockle shells..." Mary sang to herself, searching the garden for a silouhette until she spotted a vibrant blue head of hair pulled up into pig tails.

Arising slowly from the daisies, Sugar picked one and brought it to her nose. She danced across the garden with a pleasantly fixed smile on her face, and as if it were the first time, Mary felt comfort in her presence.

With only a foot's distance between them, Sugar tucked the daisy behind Mary's ear, "And, so my garden grows."

Mary woke with a cold sweat and tears in her eyes that morning. A part of her missed Sugar and another reminded her to continue taking her medication. It was for the best.


	4. Chapter 4

August 6, 2018

"Mary, how are you feeling?" The doctor asked, sitting in a chair just a few feet across from her.

When Mary's father moved her across the country to live in Tennessee, everything changed. A new doctor was assigned to her case. Mary was beginning to like Dr. Burns, too. It made her upset, and she felt like she was having to start all over, again.

Dr. Leath was a young woman in her late twenties. She had this stone cold expression that was the least bit inviting. She dressed like a school teacher with a brigh colored blouse and a black skirt. Her voice wasn't as soft spoken as Mary imagined it would be when she first laid eyes on her. She knew from the very beginning, she wasn't going to like Dr. Leath.

"I feel fine. I'm still taking my medicine, and I just bought a new journal." She murmured.

"What about the clown?" The woman asked, jotting notes down in her journal. "When was the last time you saw her?"

"About a year ago." Mary answered, twiddling her thumbs in her lap. "I haven't heard her voice in several months, either."

"That's good." The doctor nod her head. "Do you think it's time we lower the dosage on your medicine?"

"No." Mary said firmly, cutting her eyes up at the doctor. "I don't want to risk it. Please..."

"You've been taking this medication for a while, Mary. It's worked significantly for you. Don't you think?"

"It has, but I don't want to risk it. I don't want to see her ever again." Mary's voice trembled. "You don't understand. She'll hurt someone."

"She isn't real, Mary. Sugar isn't a real person."

"Yes, she is." She began to blot her eyes with a tissue. "Sugar may not be real to you, but she is to me. She's been with me since I was five. Okay? She's made at me, and she will hurt someone if you allow her to come back. I'm warning you."

"Then, let's do this." The doctor leaned forward with a sigh, setting her notepad down, "I'm going to prescribe you a new medicine. It'll keep Sugar away while allowing you to loosen up. You don't need to develope an attachment to your medications. You're far too young, and that's what I'm seeing here."

Mary didn't say anything. She didn't want to talk with the doctor anymore. She was at a point of hating her, now.

"Finish what's left, and when you come in Monday afternoon, I'll have your new prescription ready." The doctor smiled, "Okay? Do you have any questions?"

Mary's eyes watered at the thought of not taking her medicine. She had enough to last until Saturday, and come Monday, she wouldn't have any to last an entire day of school.

Mary simply stood from the couch and hooked her arm through her purse. Without another word spoken, Mary walked out of the office and slammed the door behind her; hard enough to rattle the frosted glass.

The following weekend, Mary was surprised to see Sugar hadn't made an appearance. She found herself watching over her shoulder, prepared for what was to come if Sugar did appear.

Maybe she was gone for good, she thought. Maybe the medication erased any possible traces of Sugar outside of her memory.

The following Monday morning, Mary took the bus to school. She sat in the front, away from the other students her age that like to sit in the back of the bus. She could hear them taunting and whistling at her. The one doing the most talking was a boy named Garrett Spriggs, the consumate bad boy of the school.

"He likes you." She heard the girl seated directly in front of her say, "If you ignore him, it'll get worse. Fair warning, new girl."

Mary didn't say anything in response. The first chance she was able to, she ran off the bus and into the school building. Being the first day of school and no medication to ward off Sugar, she was already on edge. She didn't want to attract any attention to herself, and she definitely knew not to speak of the clown if today were the day.

At lunch, Mary took her lunch to the library. The library had a building to itself. It was large enough to seat one hundred between the number of tables and another fifty at it's computer cubicles.

The librarian wasn't present during lunch, but Mary remembered her saying she was welcome any time the door was open. With that, she took her lunch to one of the back tables, placed directly in front of the encyclopedias. No one had to read them unless they were forced to, and it was the first day back to school. No one would be needing a encyclopedia just yet.

Nibbling on cheese like a little mouse, Mary found a book by Tami Hoag titled Down the Darkest Road. She plucked it from the shelf to take back to her table, and as she rounded the corner, she ran into what felt like a brick wall.

"I'm so sorry." Mary murmured and picked her book up off the floor. "I didn't mean..."

As her postured straightened, Mary realized she had run into Garrett. With a smirk pulling at his lips, he took a step towards her, "Mary, isn't it?"

"Y-yes." She spoke barely above a whisper. "I should go."

"What's the rush?" He asked, sticking his arm out as she moved to walk past him. Mary froze, unsure how to respond. She held her hands up in defense, both planted on his chest as he caged her between his person and the bookshelf. "I thought we could get to know each other, darlin'."

"Maybe after school, then?" He suggested, ducking his head down to her.

His green eyes fixed on her blue ones as he brought his index finger up to caress her delicate skin. Mary's body trembled, her eyes closing in high hopes he wouldn't hurt her.

"F-fine. Fine." She whimpered. "I'll see you on the bus? After school?"

"I'll see you then, cutie." He cockily bit his lip, and pushed off the shelf, making it rattle behind Mary.

She watched as he walked away, his broad shoulders moving with his long strides. He was much bigger than her, a sure sign she wouldn't stand a chance against him.

"Why did you let him do that to you, princess?"

Oh, God. Please, no.

Mary looked up, her fear confirmed as she laid eyes on Sugar. She was laid across the top of the bookshelf, her slim arms tucked beneath her chin and her feet kicked up. Mary stepped away from the bookshelf and the moment she did, Sugar climbed down.

"Did you miss me?"

"Sugar, please.." Mary spoke quietly. "He didn't hurt me."

"He's going to." She countered. "Let's play with him."

"No!" Mary said firmly. "Go away."

"I want to see what a human pretzel looks like." Sugar giggled, her smile widening. The whites in her eyes were more prominent as her pupils grew, darkening. "Don't you?"

"No.." Mary growled lowly. "Don't.."

"Did you say something, sweetheart?" Garrett returned, towering over her small frame.

Sugar's giggle was high pitched as she lunged forward at Garrett. Mary screamed, "No!"

She grabbed the clown and pushed her to the ground. Sugar's maniacal giggle wasn't silenced until Mary wrapped her fingers around her throat and squeezed. With all of her strength, Mary gripped her throat tighter and began bashing the back of her head against the carpeted floor.

"Leave me alone. Leave me alone. Leave me alone." She screamed, punching and bashing her head against the floor.

"Mary! Mary! Mary!" She heard her name being called.

A pair of arms wrapped around her waist, prying her from the clown. It was then, Mary saw the truth. It wasn't the clown, at all. What she thought was Sugar laying on the floor was actually Garrett with a pool of blood under his head and soaking into his hair. 

By the time an ambulance arrived, one of the school's coaches and the school's nurse managed to revive Garrett. Mary's father was called, and when he arrived, she was escorted out of the building.

The car ride home was dangerously silent. Her father's face was red, radiating pure anger as he drove. Mary curled up in her seat, and with her knees drawn to her chest, she began to cry. Her fingers and knuckles ached, stained red with Garrett's blood.

Once they were home, Mary dreaded the punishment coming to her. What would it be, this time? Was he going to give her lashes? Solitary confinement in the basement? Was he going to d othe usual and force her into his bedroom?

"You're lucky his mother isn't pressing charges on you." Her father boomed, pacing the floor in their den. Mary sat quietly on the couch, hugging her knees to her chest. "What were you thinking, Mary Reed?"

She didn't respond until his fist slammed down on the coffee table in front of her. With a shaken voice, she quietly whimpered, "Sugar did it."

"Don't give me that bullshit." He yelled. "Three witnesses said they saw that boy talking to you when you attacked him. Three."

"Sugar attacked him, first." She whimpered. "I was trying to get her off of him, daddy. I swear."

Her father continued to pace the floor. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do with her, what he was supposed to do about her behavior. He just knew she needed punishment.

"Get your clothes off, Mary." He wiped his chin, his fists balling as he paced the den floor. "Get them off, right now."

"I didn't do it, Daddy." She pleaded, "Please, believe me. It was Sugar."

Her father turned his back to her, unbuckling his belt and ripping it from the fabric confining it. As he did so, Sugar began to dance circles around the room. Tossing glitter and streamers of red, blue, green, and yellow into the air. Mary covered her head, crying even harder as she hugged herself.

"Go away... Please, go away!" She begged.

"It's fun time, princess." Sugar sang at the top of her lungs, raining glitter on top of her head. "Let's have the most fun you've had in years."


	5. Chapter 5

When police arrived to the home of Maxwell and Mary Reed on August 26, 2018, they found Mary sitting in the den in a little black dress and heels. Her beautiful, blonde hair was caked, soaked in a thick, red substance that made it clump together. She had it pulled up in high pigtails.

Upon examination, her face was painted with the blood of Maxwell Reed; resembling that of a clown. She was smiling devilishly, sitting next to the mutilated body of her father. He too had blood all over his face, resembling that of a clown.

With the help of her lawyer, the trial was a short one. Due to the years of sexual abuse from her father and the history of prescriptions, it was easy for her to plead insanity. Three days after the trial, she was placed in the Pontious House for the Criminally Insane. She had a small room all to herself with a comfortable bed and twenty-four seven surveillance.

"Mary, Mary, quite contrary..." She sang softly, biting her own lip and whimpering at the pain. Blood seeped out of the corner of her mouth, and she collected it on her finger. She painted it across her pale face and sang, "How does your garden grow?"

Sugar sat across the room and watched her closely with a permanently fixed smile, "With silver bells and cockle sheels..."

Mary stared down at a drawing she had just finished. In her drawing were two flowers. On each flower she had drawn a face. One was to represent Cody and the other was to represent her father. She brushed her stained fingers over the smooth surface and spread the thick liquid like paint, giggling to herself, "And so my garden grows..."

The End.


End file.
